Before I spend $2500 for a modern/current production #P1850 Colt 1873 Peacemaker SAA in .45 Long Colt, I'm trying my best to find one at MSRP ($1500, roughly). Any help in finding one in the next six hours (when a Gun Broker auction is scheduled to end) would be sincerely appreciated. I've never wanted any gun badly enough to pay above MSRP and I don't want to start now.Thanks,

Since I couldn't find it as MSRP, I went ahead and made the purchase. This will be my first authentic SAA, but not my last. Now the search for one in .357 Magnum begins, but I've more patience on finding one at MSRP.

Nathan wrote:A conversion cylinder that would enable shooting .45 ACP in this gun would make it so much more enjoyable just due to ammunition cost, availability and massive selection.

I've been having similar thoughts about a Blackhawk with both the .357 and 9mm cylinders. I've been meaning to add a revolver to my arsenal for a while, but have wanted it to be a 9mm so I'm not stockpiling another caliber. If someone would import them, I would go for an Arcus 95R in a heartbeat (mid size double action 6 shot chambered in 9mm) but that's just a pipe dream at the moment, leaving only a 5 shot Taurus and an 8 shot S&W as contenders against the Blackhawk, unless I go with a used Speed Six 9mm. I would prefer it to be double action, but since it's not going to be a main carry gun, and instead a "just in case" survival gun, the single action Blackhawk doesn't look like a bad option at all.

"Our great war is a spiritual war, our great depression is our lives."

Hand and Steel wrote:since it's not going to be a main carry gun, and instead a "just in case" survival gun, the single action Blackhawk doesn't look like a bad option at all.

The Blackhawk is a great gun; mine have always served me well.

I contacted Colt and they do offer a cylinder chambered in .45 ACP, but it has to be custom fitted to the gun in-house. Basically I would have to send them my Peacemaker and they would fit the cylinder; I can expect to receive my gun back a year from now.

hkguy wrote:get ahold of these guys, they can pretty much do anything you want to a revovlver & cylinder.

Were this any other gun I wouldn't hesitate to utilize any respected smith...but it would seem disrespectful to the heritage to send it to anybody other than Colt. They'll fit a .45 ACP cylinder with shipping for around $400 and that will be the route that I go. I'm not doing it right now because they could keep my gun for up to two years, but Colt is promising to change things with their Custom Shop so I'm going to hold off while they get their together in hopes of a more reasonable turnaround time. I also want to get my 1957 Python reblued by the Custom Shop and while I realize that it will affect the monetary value of the gun, I'm never selling it anyway.

hkguy wrote:get ahold of these guys, they can pretty much do anything you want to a revovlver & cylinder.

Were this any other gun I wouldn't hesitate to utilize any respected smith...but it would seem disrespectful to the heritage to send it to anybody other than Colt. They'll fit a .45 ACP cylinder with shipping for around $400 and that will be the route that I go. I'm not doing it right now because they could keep my gun for up to two years, but Colt is promising to change things with their Custom Shop so I'm going to hold off while they get their together in hopes of a more reasonable turnaround time. I also want to get my 1957 Python reblued by the Custom Shop and while I realize that it will affect the monetary value of the gun, I'm never selling it anyway.

your sentiments baffle me at times. however good colt is, are they really worth the wait compared to someone who literally does this hundreds, if not thousands times a year? By the time colt gets their ish together and get lead times down to an acceptable level you could send this, have it back, and have it to use for a year+ if not more.

same goes for blueing. I would highly recommend Batchelders in grand rapids, MI. Their primary business is restoring high end shotguns and rifles (those that are $5,10,20,000+).

Sentiment is the entire reason why you buy a Peacemaker. Nobody (modern era) buys a Peacemaker for function when there are so many superior choices available today at a fraction of the cost. If the entire point in the purchase wasn't about sentiment, nobody would ever spend $2,500 on 144 year old technology when they could buy a superior function S&W 25 for $600-$800. When I bought my Peacemaker I wasn't specifically seeking a single action army revolver or I would have bought a $500 clone; I was specifically seeking an authentic Peacemaker completely out of sentiment for the legacy. This being the case, it is worth it to me to keep my Colt all Colt.

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...the same goes for other things as well. When the power steering gearbox went out on one of my service trucks I tried to find an OEM power steering gearbox only to be told that there was a six month backorder on them. I couldn't wait six months so I went to NAPA and got a third party part. Since the truck was too tall to fit into my shop and temps were in the 30s-40s I had the Dodge dealer install the Napa gearbox for me and of course it was bad right out of the box. This forced me to have them reinstall the original gearbox to limp me by until we could get an original OEM Mopar gearbox that is made to OEM standards. I know the OEM gearbox is built to OEM standards whereas the Napa gearbox is thrown together in some garage sweatshop somewhere in the Philippines. I have other examples, but this is just the most recent as it was less than two months ago. OEM cost more, but in many cases you're paying for additional quality control. In the case of the Colt it's more about keeping a Colt all Colt for sentimental reasons, but knowing the quality control standards are known is an additional benefit.

Sounds like you're wanting to re chamber your 45 LC in 45 ACP to save on ammo costs and make it more enjoyable to shoot, and then you mentioned having your 57 Python reblued.

With the conversion to 45 ACP, you need to subtract the $400 Colt costs from any potential ammo savings. The fact that they could have your gun for an ungodly amount of time should be a factor too. Lmao. You get annoyed when Bud's takes an extra week to ship your guns, because you pay with a check. I can only imagine if Colt has one of your most prized guns for a year or two... and then go bankrupt... again... and then who knows what'll happen. As for being more enjoyable to shoot, damn dude- reload for 45 LC. You can water it down, and create something you'll like. You'll also add to your ammo savings.

As for rebluing your Python, is the Colt of 2016 even the same Colt that made that gun back in '57? By name they are, but by much else? I get your truck analogy, but we're talking about rebluing here. Not parts. I bet you there are folks that have much more experience than some unknown worker at the modern Colt factory that could do you a better job. Like has been mentioned, there are folks with Shotguns that are tens of thousands of dollars, and there are folks that are up to the task of doing a good rebluing.

I understand your truck part analogy but i still disagree of its application. its apples to oranges. your complaining about the dealership taking 6 months to complete an aftermarket modification that they dont normally do (but can) and not wanting the shop down the road that specializes in the modification to do the work. your talking about making a MIM part work until a forged part can be procured.

you have a modern production Colt SAA that you want to convert to shoot 45 acp via moon clips. there are several places where you can source a colt made cylinder and have it fit by a qualified smith. it sounds like this will be a tool and not a safe queen. Modern Smiths are not what they were of the P&R days. MY friend just bought a NIB 625 and there is a noticeable flaw in the barrel. the barrel was not cut squarely to the stock and/or the threads were not cut concentric to the bore. this is apparently a common problem.

I'm just offering suggestions for comparable work without the extreme amount of down time.

I'm not rechambering the cylinder to accomodate .45 ACP; what I would do is purchase a .45 ACP cylinder to fit my Peacemaker so that changing calibers is as simple as swapping out the cylinder. Colt says that the cylinder must be custom fitted to each individual gun.

The fact that they could have your gun for an ungodly amount of time should be a factor too.

Indeed; that is the only factor and the sole reason that I haven't already done this. I'm giving them some time to get their together as promised by their CEO. Once they get their together I'll be sending them my Peacemaker for fitting the cylinder (and possibly the stag grips after I research the quality of their stag), my '57 Python for re-bluing, my Custom Shop M45A1 to get the front strap checkered, and possibly a few others.

You get annoyed when Bud's takes an extra week to ship your guns, because you pay with a check.

Bud's is slow, even when you pay with credit card (this ain't my first purchase from them) Still, it's worth it to me to buy from them because of their volume. When I buy a new gun I want a gun in new condition, not one that shows handling marks from being banged around in a display case by careless employees. Bud's volume is such that a gun you buy from Bud's hasn't been inside of a display case. I buy a lot of guns from the same sellers and I've never gotten a marked gun from Bud's. My Titan (a $4,000 gun!) arrived with several handling marks for that reason. I sent it back to the manufacturer to be re-blued.

I can only imagine if Colt has one of your most prized guns for a year or two... and then go bankrupt... again... and then who knows what'll happen.

I've also factored this in and is one more reason I'm holding off until they get their together. That they finally seem to recognize they need to respond to customer demand is something we've never seen from Colt. Who knows, this CEO might just have it figured out. Regardless, my Colts will stay here until I'm confident enough to send them in.

is the Colt of 2016 even the same Colt that made that gun back in '57?

In terms of bluing I think that the modern production firearms were superior to the earlier models. Whereas most guns have lost quality since automated production started (A P&R S&W 29 compared to a modern production 29), the bluing quality of the later model Pythons appear to be superior. When you look into the bluing and it appears to be an inch thick, that's the finish I want.

hkguy wrote:I understand your truck part analogy but i still disagree of its application. its apples to oranges. your complaining about the dealership taking 6 months to complete an aftermarket modification that they dont normally do (but can) and not wanting the shop down the road that specializes in the modification to do the work. your talking about making a MIM part work until a forged part can be procured.

But with this comparison you are dismissing the one factor that is the reason behind buying the gun to start with: sentiment. I have the utmost respect for the heritage and legacy of Colt. I disagree with their priorities and when they make a crap gun I've no problem calling them out (my Series 80 Combat Commander had many quality control issues). I shouldn't have to buy a Custom Shop gun to get a good one (although in all fairness, my recent Delta Elite purchase is a much finer gun than the Delta Elite that I bought five years ago). I've no issue sending my production Colts elsewhere for service, but in such an iconic gun as the Peacemaker, it's gonna stay all Colt.

it sounds like this will be a tool and not a safe queen.

It will be shot, but it will be preserved. The whole reason in this purchase was to own a piece of the legacy (sentiment). My boyhood hero was Matt Dillon, followed by Moore (the Lone Ranger) Eastwood, Rogers and a few others and the one thing they all had in common was their 1873 Colt Peacemaker. As a boy I dreamed of having one of my own. I'm currently searching for a sequential pair of P1650 Colt 1873 Peacemakers chambered in .357 Magnum for cowboy action shooting. Those will be shot and carried regularly. This one however, it will be shot just to share the experience but not carried.

Modern Smiths are not what they were of the P&R days

Definitely agreed...but I trust that Colt Custom Shop employees are a cut above and still capable as master craftsmen.

I'm not rechambering the cylinder to accomodate .45 ACP; what I would do is purchase a .45 ACP cylinder to fit my Peacemaker so that changing calibers is as simple as swapping out the cylinder. Colt says that the cylinder must be custom fitted to each individual gun.

The fact that they could have your gun for an ungodly amount of time should be a factor too.

Indeed; that is the only factor and the sole reason that I haven't already done this. I'm giving them some time to get their together as promised by their CEO. Once they get their together I'll be sending them my Peacemaker for fitting the cylinder (and possibly the stag grips after I research the quality of their stag), my '57 Python for re-bluing, my Custom Shop M45A1 to get the front strap checkered, and possibly a few others.

You get annoyed when Bud's takes an extra week to ship your guns, because you pay with a check.

Bud's is slow, even when you pay with credit card (this ain't my first purchase from them) Still, it's worth it to me to buy from them because of their volume. When I buy a new gun I want a gun in new condition, not one that shows handling marks from being banged around in a display case by careless employees. Bud's volume is such that a gun you buy from Bud's hasn't been inside of a display case. I buy a lot of guns from the same sellers and I've never gotten a marked gun from Bud's. My Titan (a $4,000 gun!) arrived with several handling marks for that reason. I sent it back to the manufacturer to be re-blued.

I can only imagine if Colt has one of your most prized guns for a year or two... and then go bankrupt... again... and then who knows what'll happen.

I've also factored this in and is one more reason I'm holding off until they get their together. That they finally seem to recognize they need to respond to customer demand is something we've never seen from Colt. Who knows, this CEO might just have it figured out. Regardless, my Colts will stay here until I'm confident enough to send them in.

is the Colt of 2016 even the same Colt that made that gun back in '57?

In terms of bluing I think that the modern production firearms were superior to the earlier models. Whereas most guns have lost quality since automated production started (A P&R S&W 29 compared to a modern production 29), the bluing quality of the later model Pythons appear to be superior. When you look into the bluing and it appears to be an inch thick, that's the finish I want.

Again, you can solve your problems easily, by reloading 45 LC to a watered down cowboy load.

With Bud's, they may be somewhat slow in general, but paying with a check adds on a good 5-7 days to the total time before it ships, vs paying with a credit card, because they have to wait for your check to fund and clear. A CC is instantly verified the funds are there. Paying with a check gets you the cash discount, and I have done that many times myself with them. I'm just giving an example to show that patience doesn't come that easy to you, so I don't understand waiting a year or two for Colt to work on your gun.